A Butler University student attempted to bring a drug-testing product to the university this semester.

University officials told the student they would not promote the sale of the product Drink Detective on campus.

This action on the part of the administration seems to stand in direct contradiction to its stated goal of ensuring student safety.

Students can use Drink Detective to find out if anything has been added to the drink in a simple test.

This includes dangerous drugs.

Various officials assosciated with the university have spoken out about the product.

They bring up valuable points — The product is not comprehensive and does not completely guarantee safety.

In other words, the product does not promise “all-clear” reactions.

At the same time, it seems better than nothing.

Drink Detective does not create dangerous drugs or physically harm someone.

Any argument against it seems to ignore the existing problem of people drugging others through beverages.

It is very important to remember that even if this product were allowed on campus, no one is responsible for being drugged.

However, if some individuals choose to use the product, there seems to be no reason to stop them.

Having Drink Detective available on campus should not be seen any differently than offering self-defense classes or promoting educational programs about safe drinking.

None of these programs actually address the cause of predatory behavior.

The ideal solution to any attempted drugging is to force the perpetrators to stop their behavior.

However, some individuals may wish to take action to protect themselves.

The university should do everything in its power to make that happen when the action does not endanger other students.

Butler officials bring up an important point—Drink Detective, and any product like it, cannot fix drugging problems or promise safety.

At the core, though, safety should not be left to the student either way.

The university’s focus should be all for making it incredibly difficult to behave in ways that harm other students.

Making a drug-testing product like this available on campus does not endanger students or create a culture of fear.

It also does not absolve any officials of their responsibility to keep students safe.

If more knowledge about the prevalence of drugging drinks makes people nervous, perhaps this campus needs to be more aware.

Either way, students have a right to know what is going on around campus when it impacts their safety.

And they have a right to know what they’re sipping.

Studying abroad can be a great opportunity for Butler students. I highly suggest that every student try to take a semester to study in a foreign country.

There are countless positive academic, cultural and personal advantages to studying abroad.

Academically, students can immerse themselves in a foreign language.  Students studying abroad have the opportunity to study at universities that offer programs Butler might not, said Sarah Robinson, study abroad adviser.

Robinson also said an experience abroad can be a great way to boost a résumé.

“That kind of experience shows employers and graduate schools that you can step outside of your comfort zone and do something that not many people can do,”  Robinson said.
Culturally, Butler students studying in foreign lands will experience ways of life far different from what they have in the Butler Bubble.

Senior Kevin Wolf said he met a  new type of people while spending a semester in France.

“You’ll be forced to interact with other people and learn from them,” Wolf said. “You’ll learn and grow as a person.”

Learning and growing as a person is perhaps the most important thing a student can take out of a study abroad experience.

“College is a time in students’ lives where they’re trying to figure out where they’re going with their lives and what they’re interested in and what their passions are,” Robinson said. “Sometimes I think studying abroad helps students figure that out.  Going and seeing how other people live, it helps them learn things about themselves.”

So Butler students, make use of study abroad opportunities and learn something about yourselves and about the world outside the United States.

This semester has not been the same without Tau Kappa Epsilon, but the absence of the song “Dominick the Donkey” is for the better.

I am a big supporter of school traditions and events, but this is one holiday ritual that I am not sad to see go.

Students hearing the Christmas rendition for the first time would think it sounded like any other cheery holiday song.

New students would be led to believe TKE played a variety of Christmas songs throughout the entire season.

But by noon on any day, they would realize the same tune had been blaring from TKE’s speakers all day long.

As night falls and the hum of the song continues, people would realize the next three weeks would be filled with donkey noises.

The constant droning of the same tune makes the day go on longer and longer and does not always put people in a bright, cheery holiday mood.

The pressure of finals week is enough to make some people pull out their hair, especially when forced to hear the same song over and over again while working.

For those who lived around TKE, there was no escaping the song.

Residents of Ross, Residential College and nearby Greek houses could hear the tune creeping through their windows.

“Dominick The Donkey” would drown out the music in my headphones when I walked around on campus.

Other on-campus organizations and groups have attempted to keep the tradition alive by playing “Dominick the Donkey” during this holiday season.

But some school officials have stopped some organizations from playing it.

Although I am glad the song isn’t playing as much as it otherwise would be, other student groups should be allowed to play the song if they feel compelled.

“I heard DG playing it on Friday, and it put some pep in my step, but it would be annoying if I had to live across the street from TKE and have to hear it every day,” junior Nigel Spears said.

Another fraternity or campus organization should start a different holiday tradition that is not forced upon a large percentage of the student body.

This way, Butler students can get in the holiday spirit without bothering their peers.

University President Jim Danko wrote the following message to the entire campus December 1.

Dear Butler University Students, Faculty and Staff:

According to our Statement of Guiding Principles, at Butler University we work toward respect and dignity for all individuals in our community and aim to promote an open and tolerant environment for voicing opinions.

As such, we honor our professors’ desires to promote inclusive and positive classrooms.

We also honor our students’ rights to express concerns about their educational experiences at Butler.

This past week, we were challenged to live up to these ideals after the publication of an article on the website The College Fix, in which one of our students described concerns about a professor’s preference for inclusive language within the course.

While I respect the student’s right to take issue with the use of inclusive language within the course, we should recognize that inclusive language is encouraged and supported at Butler University, at many other institutions of higher education and in many disciplines.

Inclusive dialogue helps prepare our students to interact with others professionally and fairly in an increasingly diverse America.

And importantly, it creates a respectful environment for all people.

As many students, faculty and staff have engaged in discussions about the article in the past week, I am proud of the fact that in keeping with our guiding principles, many of our community members have remembered that there are always at least two sides to every story.

Unfortunately, some responses we have received from individuals not associated with Butler University who read the article online have targeted various individuals at Butler in ways that have involved personal verbal attacks and hateful language.

We have taken care to ensure the safety and well-being of those on our campus who have been the recipients of these responses.

I know that several groups on campus are planning events that will allow further discussion of the article and responses to it, and I encourage you to attend such events if you are interested.

As this issue is further debated on our campus, I strongly encourage each of you to remember the humanity and feelings of those with whom you disagree.

Furthermore, I know I can expect the highest level of civility and respect from each of us in accordance with our university’s values.

James Danko
President

Each year, Butler University students spend an average of 15 hours a week sitting in classrooms.

Even more time is spent outside the classrooms working on homework, cramming for tests or completing cultural requirements.

For 16 weeks each semester, students are bogged down with college commitments.

And while a heavy load is something each student  agrees to do, it’s not something each student likes to do.

If students are going to spend such a huge amount of time dedicating themselves to their schoolwork, they should have an opportunity to enjoy nearly every minute of it.

For some students, the core classes seem to drag on for all 16 weeks.

When students register for classes for their first semester at Butler, they often find themselves scraping the bottom of the barrel to find a First Year Seminar to squeeze into their schedules.

Those seminars are often about some microcosm of the universe that people rarely pay attention to.

When students have to pick other core classes, like GHS or science courses, they often find themselves in similar situations.

The core should be evaluated to make sure that courses can hold the interest of students and teach something valuable along the way.

More courses that interest students in their individual programs should be available.

Students should be able to make their education interesting and rewarding.

Sitting through a 32-week course about a topic that really carries no impact for students often turns them off from the subject.

It’s not fun for students or professors when students tune out during class time.

No one benefits.

Administrators should look into making classes more colorful, more relevant and more beneficial for students.

Plenty of professors are dedicated to education at Butler.

Some programs rank high above others in the nation.

So why not make sure that students can benefit from more of those classes or programs?

When students care, the entire Butler community benefits.

The liberal arts focus at Butler University is an integral part of students’ educational experience.

This becomes especially important during scheduling, when it is much easier to notice and disparage the problems with the core curriculum.

Although the core curriculum needs some improvements, students must not forget the importance of a liberal arts education.

The process of scheduling can be frustrating, but it can still bear worthwhile results if approached with an open mind.

The main point of education is to enrich one’s mind, explore multiple fields of thought and grapple with one’s own worldview.

Unfortunately, many students tend to believe the purpose of education is to prepare for future jobs.

In fact, 85 percent of high school students and 59 percent of college graduates list “qualifying for a better job/preparing for a career” as a primary reason to attend college, according to a study by Richard Hersh.

Training and preparation for future professions should not be condemned.

But focusing solely on upcoming careers misses liberal arts educaton’s bigger picture and purpose.

Students often disapprove of Butler’s core curriculum, especially when it involves courses that fall outside their majors or—put more directly—courses that won’t tie directly into their career paths.

Instead of embracing opportunities to expand their minds, students write off these interdisciplinary courses.

This is incredibly problematic and telling.

Students receive this opportunity that a number of other people are shut out from, and they scoff at it.

The core curriculum is well-publicized before a student enrolls at Butler.

In this sense, people should know what they are getting into when they enroll at Butler and have no reason to complain because they chose to attend a liberal arts university.

Students who have general knowledge about subjects outside their specialization will likely have a wider array of employment opportunities.

That said, the core curriculum does have a few kinks that need to be worked out, such as limitations it puts on students’ schedules.

But instead of decrying the liberal arts education or demanding the core be reworked for each major, students should think of ways to improve its current state.

Otherwise, Butler students will miss out on one of the most enriching, positive experiences they could have: an eye-opening education.

Plans for a residence hall and parking garage have come to light.

Vice President of Student Affairs Levester Johnson unveiled a few residence hall floor plans at the Student Government Association meeting on Oct. 24 for representatives to discuss.

Administrators and SGA have a huge opportunity to connect to students by involving them in the planning process.

This change can bring the community together by incorporating everyone’s voice while developing the building.

To allow this public forum to happen, administrators, SGA officials and anyone involved in the development process need to market the events.

If and when administrators publicly present blueprints for this project, they should inform the entire student body so everyone can voice an opinion.

Students have a deep and undeniable stake in this project.

Students invest in university projects with tuition dollars.

Finances aside, students have several other reasons to be involved in this process.

If students feel they have a direct impact on aspects of the building, they will likely feel much better about the future state of the university.

The idea of leaving a visible legacy is especially appealing for students.

It would be incredible to return to Butler as an alumnus and point out a building that you helped create.

Perhaps most importantly, the student body’s college  experience would bring a needed perspective in how the building is constructed.

Students may have a different opinion than administrators and trustees about how the project should develop.

Due to the high stakes students have in this plan, the administration must ensure that students have many opportunities to voice their ideas.

Butler University’s small size and connectedness make it simple to gather student input.

Administrators could send out a survey over BUmail to get ideas from students.

They should also use BUmail to publicize future meetings and events about the developing projects.

More public forum events, similar to President Jim Danko’s discussion about the Student Strategic Vision last week, should be formed to discuss these changes.

If another discussion about developing building plans happens at SGA, members could let campus know through the organization’s Twitter account.

When these significant discussions happen at SGA, officers should publish the minutes through either the Butler Connection or BUmail for those who miss the meeting.

No matter how the leaders on campus decide to incorporate the student body in these decisions, they should not pass up the opportunity to do so.

Otherwise, they miss a chance to bring the Butler community together to make vital positive changes for the community.

The magical time of year known as basketball season has finally arrived at Butler University.

The anticipation is building for students eager to see the Bulldogs do well in their first season in the Atlantic 10 Conference.

Butler students are lucky to have free access to all university sporting events, including basketball.

In Hinkle Fieldhouse, there is a special outlet for extreme excitement and passion—the Dawg Pound.

Dawg Pound is a student run organization that every student can benefit from joining.

The organization is one of the largest on Butler’s campus with around 1,100 registered members, according to the organization’s president, Michael Van De Voort.

Freshmen must pay a $30 membership fee, and all other students pay $20.

This fee may sound steep, but the money covers courtside seating for every home basketball game, opportunities to go to road games at schools like Xavier and Northwestern, exclusive ticket deals at games such as the Crossroads Classic and at least one Dawg Pound T-shirt.

Students really get their money’s worth out of the experience.

But the biggest perk of being in Dawg Pound is not the ticket deals or free T-shirts.

The best reward is being with friends and classmates, cheering your lungs out for the team.

I met several of my closest friends in Dawg Pound and many new friends at last year’s Crossroads Classic, where Butler beat Purdue.

The sense of community and pride I felt in Dawg Pound last year was something special.

It brings together students who would normally never talk or hang out, let alone scream their heads off cheering together.

I took full advantage of the opportunity to jump around, shouting like a complete maniac and having it be socially acceptable.

Usually I’m not a very loud person, but when it comes to Bulldog basketball, all inhibitions are out the door.

Dawg Pound is an opportunity for all students to get a little wild, be social and show their school spirit.

Butler students should take advantage of the opportunities this organization presents and cheer on the Bulldogs

Homecoming is a fabled time of the school year when the parties are larger and the excitement goes from the crack of dawn til long after the sun sets.

Homecoming is something far more than just a time to party, and it is not just for the currently attending students.

Homecoming is a time for alumni to “come home,” reminisce about their days at Butler University and see what the university has become.

Dan Kaufman, a 1966 Butler graduate, said he loves coming back to Butler to see that the university is doing so well.

“I hope the university continues to demonstrate The Butler Way, so to speak, and the way that it’s intended to be,” Kaufman said.

“So many people have demonstrated its possibilities, and for it to continue to grow, not necessarily in size, but in the strength that it has academically.”

Junior Esther Flaharty said she believes some students understand what Homecoming means to alumni.

“For the students, it’s a lot about raging, but it’s also good to see the alumni come back,” Flaharty said.  “But for a lot of people it’s just about partying.
For alumni it is about coming back and reminiscing and seeing what the university has become.”

The university also uses Homecoming to showcase the school’s greatest achievements, reminding the alumni that Butler is a worthy investment.

Roger Phelps, another 1966 Butler graduate, said the only contact he has with the university any more is solicitation.

“I used to sit on those phone banks myself, so it’s hard for me to condemn it,” Phelps said.  “But I know it’s a valuable part of the financial situation.”

Phelps and Kaufman both said that even when they were students at Butler, Homecoming was the biggest party of the year.

It is good to know that while many things about Butler have changed over the years, some things have remained the same.

Homecoming is a time for the entire student body to come together.

Unfortunately, many couldn’t fully participate because they had homework.

Homecoming is an important weekend and only comes around once a year.

Teachers should try to accommodate students and lighten our workload.

Many students had major assignments due after Fall Break, only to get hammered with homework again the next week.

College is supposed to be challenging, but to overload students, especially when professors know there are so many activities happening on campus, is not right.

If nothing else, professors should assign work that is due at the beginning of the week.

This would allow students to be free at the end of the week when most of the larger events happen.

Having assignments due at the end of the week or next week is difficult because students either miss out on the Homecoming experience or face a mountain of work the following week.

Homecoming is supposed to be a memorable time.

We have the end of the semester to be locked in the library in a deep study mode.

Many of my friends stayed in for the weekend because they had too much work to finish.

We have approximately 32 weeks of schooling each year.

Certainly teachers can lighten the load for one of those weeks.

Many pharmacy students who have clusters this week stayed in Friday and Saturday night to study for upcoming tests.

Students from other colleges and studies also felt the pressure of school work leading into Homecoming.

“People have a lot on their plate,” freshman Paul Babbitt said.

From top to bottom, students feel overwhelmed with the amount of work they have.

Professors were in college—they have to realize that students only get so many homecomings.

They should also realize that students in campus organizations have to participate in the events going on around campus.

This will cut down on the amount study time they have, and their grades could suffer from it.

It is in everyone’s best interest to lighten the workload, if for no other reason, to have a great homecoming weekend.